Commercialization Services

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of Aphids on Wheat Crop

The project aims at developing an effective strategy based on best agricultural practices for Aphids management on wheat crop.

Issues to be addressed

In next few years, aphids will become a threat to wheat production. The pest scouting data of DG Pest Warning Punjab has revealed increasing trend in wheat aphid attack since 2002 and its spread jumped from 10 districts during 2002, to all the 35 districts during 2004 onwards. Same trend was observed in number of hot spots during that period. Pesticide use in wheat cannot be risked so there has to be a way out for a non-chemical control before it appears in epidemic form.

Project Output

Data on wheat varieties for its behavior against wheat aphid attack.Strategy to tackle the problem on sustainable basis before it becomes an epidemic.

The project aims at rising profitability of rice per unit area through water saving and increased productivity. It plans on exploring different agronomic practices for better production of rice with less water, smaller number of labor and use of post emergence herbicides.

Issues to be addressed

Water is becoming scarce day by day. The same holds true for labor supply. These inputs are very crucial for rice production. Low plant population and transplanting shock are other problems under consideration. This project will address such issues.

Project Output

Standardization of Indigenous Based Skin Coating Material for Fruit and Vegetable Crops and Dissemination of this Technology

The project focuses to prepare and optimize skin coating materials for fruits and vegetables to improve their shelf life and cosmetics for domestic and export marketing. Local based wax coating material will be identified and applied on various horticulture crops like ripe mango, grapefruit, kinnow, peach cucumber, tomato, bell pepper and melon.

Issues to be addressed

At present the coating material for the post harvest treatment is imported. Through this project local, base material will be identified that will reduce the import bill of coating material. In Pakistan, citrus processing is importing edible wax coating of worth about Rs. 30 million annually.

Project Output

Local based waxing material acceptable to the industry will be available as a replacement of the imported coating material.